Identification and Characterization of X-linked Hybrid Male Sterility Factors between Drosophila simulans and D. mauritiana

We demonstrate evidence of at least 4 hybrid male sterility regions within this 4Mb region, including a previously identified HMS factor, OdsH. The D. mauritiana Y chromosome rescues fertility of an OdsH-containing recombinant chromosome reinforcing the hypothesis that OdsH is interacting with a D. simulans Y-linked loci to cause sterility. As the amount of D. mauritiana introgression increases the developmental defects occur earlier in spermatogenesis with B-013 (OdsH-containing sterile recombinant) producing individual mature sperm while 2P6b fails to individualize and even reshape spermatid nuclei.